A great starter bike that also provides enough fun for the more experienced. Two and a half years ago my wife decided to make her MC endorsement, after 20 years of being a passenger. She signed up for the MSF class with my daughter and son in tow. My daughter had just turned 18 and was ready to make her mc endorsement, and my son would soon be turning 18. They all had ridden on the dirt for years so they all where excited about making their licenses. I am proud to say they all passed the class and are all on their way to being proficient riders, and the little CBR has been a big part of that.

Myself being like most riders, thought the 250 to small for hi-way use, and I was pushing for a 600. She was insistent on the 250, so the 250 is what it would be. We ordered a ZX250, that’s right a Kawasaki, from our local dealer. Between the time the bike was ordered and delivered, they where several miscommunications on the dealers part, that irritated my wife, so after discussion, the ZX was canceled and another dealer called, they did not have what she wanted, but said they could have one the next morning from SC. So a CBR250 new in the box was procured from down south and waiting for her to look at the next day. I arrived home in the AM(i work 3rd shift) and she was amped up ready to go look at her new bike. So after an eleven hour shift, a one and half hour drive, and an hour of paperwork. Off I went with a very excited wife and her new CBR250R.

We arrived home and immediately went for a 100 mile ride, I went home for rest and she continued on for another 100miles. She really does love her little bike. After it’s first 1000 miles, I took it for my first ride, and was I surprised.
The bike is so quiet and nimble, and such a blast to ride in the twisties, it is really easy to find yourself twisting the throttle and grinning bigger and bigger, as the tach sweeps to redline, then back as another gear is grabbed.
I weigh 200lbs in gear and this little bike will happily run 74mph gps, sitting up in the wind. Hug the tank and get into full tuck and she will climb another 10-15mph. The bike has been dropped three times by three different riders, and the only damage was scratches to the exhaust(barely noticable) and a broken left mirror stem($35 to replace). This bike is an absolute jewel for the beginning rider.

For a new rider the bike is great OTSF, but for the aggressive rider, the brake lines need to be replaced with steel braid and DOT4, maybe add some sliders, and that is all that is needed to be ready too ride the wheels off these little bikes. Cross-winds are no worse on this bike, than they are on most other bikes, the CBR cuts the wind very well, gets incredible gas mileage, runs and handles great, except for a hard stock seat, it is comfortable, and it looks as good in the city, as it does on the track, in the mountains, or on the beach!